Equipment Hazard Alerts

First published by MSHA

Equipment Alert: – Manufacturer Notice – MSA Four Gas Calibration Cylinders – Added 4/30/2021

MSA is issuing this User Safety Notice to inform you of action required for a single production lot of Four Gas Calibration Cylinders (58L). The manufacturer of the cylinders has informed MSA that the torque used to secure the valve to MSA Four Gas Calibration Cylinders in lot 239511 may have been below specification for some cylinders in the lot.

When disconnecting the calibration cylinder from an accessory, such as the Galaxy® GX2 Automated Test System (GX2), there is potential that the cylinder will unthread from the valve. If this happens, the pressure in the cylinder can cause the cylinder to become a projectile.

MSA has not received any reports of injuries associated with this condition. However, we are requesting that you perform the actions outlined in this notice.

The composition and quality of the calibration gas in the cylinders is unaffected by this condition.

MSA is advising all customers remove from service MSA Four Gas Calibration Cylinders (58L) marked with lot 239511 and cylinder part number 10045035. Follow the instructions in this notice before attempting to disconnect a cylinder from an accessory. Dispose of the cylinders in accordance with local regulations and contact MSA for a replacement.

Potentially affected cylinders were sold as part number 10045035. In Brazil, potentially affected 10045035 cylinders were also sold as part of calibration kit part numbers 10195003, 10197496, 10214653 and 219445.

Identifying Potentially Affected Product

Review the cylinder labels for the part number and lot number (See Figure 1). Alternately, if the
cylinder is installed in a GX2 with RFID capability, you can use the test system interface to view the part number and lot number (See Figure 2). Do not loosen a cylinder installed in a GX2 in an attempt to read the label. Your cylinder is impacted if the lot number is 239511 AND cylinder part number is 10045035


McCraren Compliance assists employers in protecting their workers, starting with a comprehensive Work-site Analysis, Hazard Prevention, Controls, and Safety & Health Training.

Please contact us today at 888-758-4757 to learn how we can provide mine safety training and consulting for your business.

Work Zone Safety

First published by  ADOT.

Work zone risks for highway crews and you: the danger is real

ADOT marking National Work Zone Awareness Week (April 26-30)

PHOENIX – Most of us couldn’t imagine being on the job with speeding cars and trucks just feet away zooming past our desk, cubicle or other place of business.Work Zone Awareness

But every day, highway construction and maintenance crews across Arizona face just such potentially dangerous scenarios, especially when many drivers don’t slow down or pay attention in work zones. Sadly, drivers and passengers are even more likely to be killed or seriously injured in work zone crashes.

The Arizona Department of Transportation has joined other safety agencies across the country in promoting National Work Zone Awareness Week (April 26-30) to focus attention on the need for drivers to stay alert, recognize they’re entering an area where construction or other workers could be at risk and to embrace life saving actions that include slowing down.

A number of ADOT’s electronic signs along state highways and freeways are displaying safety messages this week, including “Safe Drivers, Safe Workers, Safe Work Zones” and “Give ‘Em A Brake, Stay Alert in Work Zones.”

A check of law enforcement agency reports shows that since 2016 more than 60 people have died in work zone-related crashes along all roads in Arizona, including local streets and state highways. An ADOT employee, Frank Dorizio, lost his life last year when he was struck by a vehicle while setting up a work zone sign along Interstate 10 near Casa Grande.

National statistics over time have shown that 4 out of 5 victims of work zone crashes were drivers or their passengers. Arizona work zone crash statistics from law enforcement reports over the past five years include the following:

  • 2016: 7 fatalities, 28 serious injuries
  • 2017: 18 fatalities, 31 serious injuries
  • 2018: 17 fatalities, 23 serious injuries
  • 2019: 15 fatalities, 22 serious injuries
  • 2020: 9 fatalities, 23 serious injuries **
  • ** – preliminary – all 2020 crash reports not yet analyzed.

“We partner with our contractors to deploy safe work zone measures within our projects,” said ADOT Central District Administrator Randy Everett. “That includes temporary concrete barrier walls to protect construction crews. However, you can’t prevent all exposures to traffic, especially when short-term maintenance work such as pavement repair is happening. We need drivers to stay alert for workers and equipment. We want everyone to arrive safely home.”

The theme for this year’s National Work Zone Awareness Week is “Drive Safe. Work Safe. Save Lives.” The annual safety event has been held across the country since 2000.


McCraren Compliance offers many opportunities in safety training to help circumvent accidents. Please take a moment to visit our calendar of classes to see what we can do to help your safety measures from training to consulting.

FMCSA Road Safety Art Contest

First published by Safety+Health an NSC publication.

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Second grader Gianna Liu, from Hillsborough, NJ, won a top honor for her artwork in 2020. Photo: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

Washington — The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is accepting entries until June 4 for its annual Road Safety Art Contest for students.

As part of FMCSA’s Our Roads, Our Safety campaign, designed to remind motorists to drive safely when sharing the road with commercial motor vehicles, the contest is open to students in kindergarten up to 12th grade. This year’s contest features new creative submission categories.

“Everyone on our roads has a responsibility to help keep each other safe,” the agency says on the contest webpage. “The annual FMCSA Road Safety Art Contest invites students to use their creativity to raise awareness of how to stay safe on the road, particularly when driving, biking or walking around large trucks and buses.”

Grand prize and honorable mention winners will be awarded in four categories: kindergarten-fifth grade, sixth-eighth grades, ninth-10th grades and 11th-12th grades. Winners will receive a framed copy of their artwork and an award certificate. The winning artwork will be featured in the contest’s winner announcement video, on FMCSA’s Kid Zone and Teen Zone websites, and in the 2022 Road Safety Art Contest Calendar.


McCraren Compliance can help you understand and comply with FMCSA, DOT and ADOT and ensure your drivers and your vehicles operate safely and efficiently.

Call us Today at 888-758-4757 or email us at info@mccrarencompliance.com to schedule your free FMCSA Compliance Assessment.

House Bill 2173 Extends CDL renewal period from 5 years to 8 years

First published by ATA.
ATA Commends the Passage and Signing of House Bill 2173
ATA Commends The Passage And Signing Of House Bill 2173

Legislation allows commercial drivers to renew their CDL every eight years instead of five

Tolleson, AZ – Yesterday, Arizona Governor Doug Ducey signed House Bill 2173 into law, Commercial Driver Licenses; Renewal Time (HB2173). HB2173 passed both the House of Representatives and the Senate with unanimous support.

HB2173 adds three years to the renewal period for a person possessing a commercial driver license, increasing the renewal period from five years to eight years. Medical certificates and hazmat endorsement remain the same.

“Truck drivers often spend long periods of time away from home and during this pandemic they have been on the frontlines delivering necessary food, supplies, medicine, and more,” stated ATA President and CEO, Tony Bradley. “HB2173 makes it easier on drivers to renew their CDLs now and in the future by extending the renewal period from five to eight years. ATA and its membership are grateful for the overwhelming bi-partisan support we received from legislators. We would like to thank our primary sponsor Rep. Frank Carroll in addition to our co-sponsors Rep. Leo Biasiucci, Rep. Judy Burges, Rep. Tim Dunn, Rep. Gail Griffin, Rep. Brett Roberts, Rep. Ben Toma, and Rep. Justin Wilmeth. Finally, we would like to thank Governor Ducey for signing this important legislation,” continued Bradley.

The text of HB2173 can be found at: https://www.azleg.gov/legtext/55leg/1R/bills/HB2173H.pdf

The new law will take effect on the General Effective date, which is 90 days after the legislature adjourns sine die.


McCraren Compliance can help you understand and comply with FMCSA, DOT and ADOT and ensure your drivers and your vehicles operate safely and efficiently.

Call us Today at 888-758-4757 or email us at info@mccrarencompliance.com to schedule your free FMCSA Compliance Assessment.

Tips for handling pallets

First published by Safety+Health an NSC publication.
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Puncture wounds, sprained ankles and broken toes are just some of the injuries that can result from handling empty skids and pallets. With about 2 billion pallets circulating in the United States, according to the U.S. Forest Service, the Texas Department of Insurance offers tips to material handlers to help them avoid injury. Among them:
  • Inspect pallets and skids for hazards such as loose nails, splinters or other defects. And be cautious: Stacks of pallets stored outdoors for a long period of time may be home to wasps or snakes.
  • Use safe lifting techniques. “Special care needs to be taken when lifting skids,” TDI says. “It usually requires two people of similar height lifting in unison to avoid injury. We need to bend at the knees and use the strong leg muscles to accomplish the lift. Keep the back straight and stay close to the object being lifted.”
  • Don’t stack skids and pallets higher than 4 feet. Keep them flat – never stack them on end. When using separate skid runners and platforms, TDI recommends stacking them in a rack no more than 32 units high.
  • Wear hand protection, such as leather work gloves, and foot protection.
  • Make sure the stacks don’t block emergency equipment or exits. Pallets shouldn’t be sticking out into aisles where someone can bump into or trip over them. Workers also should not have to walk or step over them.
  • Discard or repair unsafe units.
  • Keep your work area clean.

McCraren Compliance offers many opportunities in safety training to help circumvent accidents. Please take a moment to visit our calendar of classes to see what we can do to help your safety measures from training to consulting.

National Work Zone Awareness Week 2021

First published by Safety+Health an NSC publication.

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Photo: National Work Zone Awareness Week

Washington — National Work Zone Awareness Week is set for April 26-30, with a national kickoff event – hosted by the Michigan Department of Transportation – planned for 11 a.m. Eastern on April 27.

The theme for this year’s event is “Drive Safe. Work Safe. Save Lives.” It serves as a reminder that work zones “need everyone’s undivided attention,” safety begins with workers who are dedicated to safety, and all stakeholders can work together to “achieve zero deaths” on the roads and in work zones.

April 28 will be “Go Orange Day” to remember those who’ve lost their lives in work zones. To show support for their families and friends, organizers encourage everyone to wear orange. Michigan OSHA implores employers to use the week “as an opportunity to speak with their employees in all industry sectors about the hazards in the roadway.”

According to the Federal Highway Administration, 842 people were killed in work zones in 2019 – up from 757 the previous year. Worker fatalities in construction zones also increased to 135 in 2019 from 124 in 2018.

NWZAW is an annual event. Since 1999, FHWA has partnered with the American Traffic Safety Services Association and the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials to promote work zone safety, adding other transportation partners through the years.


McCraren Compliance offers many opportunities in safety training to help circumvent accidents. Please take a moment to visit our calendar of classes to see what we can do to help your safety measures from training to consulting.

Fatal Injury Trends in the Construction Industry

First published by Safety+Health an NSC publication.
memorial.jpg
Photo: Missouri Department of Transportation Flickr

Silver Spring, MD — The number of construction workers killed on the job reached its highest level in at least nine years in 2019, according to a new report from CPWR – The Center for Construction Training and Research.

Using 2011-2019 data from the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, researchers identified 1,102 construction worker fatalities in 2019 – a 41.1% increase from the initial year of the study period.

The increase in fatal injuries was especially pronounced among Hispanic workers, soaring 89.8% over the course of the nine-year period and far outpacing the group’s 55% rise in employment over that time.

Workers in the 45-64 age group accounted for the most fatalities (241) between 2016 and 2019. However, the 65-and-older age group had the highest rate of fatal injuries over those four years, at 22.0 per 100,000 full-time employees – more than double that of the 45-64 age group’s rate of 9.6.

Falls and struck-by, caught-in/between and electrocution hazards – known as the Construction Focus Four as part of an OSHA safety initiative – resulted in 709 deaths in 2019, or 64.3% of all fatalities in the industry that year. Fatal falls to a lower level rose to 401 in 2019 and accounted for 36.4% of all fatalities that year – a 25% jump from the previous year.

Struck-by fatalities were up 7.6% during the study period, including a 21.2% increase in struck-by fatalities involving a transport vehicle. Meanwhile, around 7 out of 10 caught-in/between fatalities involved workers being crushed in collapsing materials.

The numbers of fatal falls from roofs, ladders and scaffolds all rose during the study period. In 2019, fatal falls from roofs totaled 146 – a 28.1% increase over the previous year. CPWR advises employers to proactively address fall hazards and provide workers with sufficient protection, such as personal fall arrest systems.

The report was published in the February edition of CPWR’s Data Bulletin.


McCraren Compliance offers many opportunities in safety training to help circumvent accidents. Please take a moment to visit our calendar of classes to see what we can do to help your safety measures from training to consulting.

MSHA Offering $1M in Safety Grants

First published by MSHA.

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration announced today the availability of up to $1 million to fund grants to support education and training to help mine workers identify, avoid and prevent unsafe working conditions.

The funding, made available by the department’s Brookwood-Sago grant program, will enable grant recipients to develop training materials, provide mine safety training or educational programs, recruit mine operators and miners for training, and conduct and evaluate training. The amount of each individual grant will be at least $50,000, and the maximum individual award will be up to $1 million.

Administered by MSHA, the 2021 selection process will include special consideration for programs that focus on powered haulage (in particular, reducing vehicle-on-vehicle collisions, increasing seat belt use and improving belt conveyor safety), improving safety among contractors, reducing electrocutions, improving training for new and inexperienced miners, mine emergency prevention and preparedness, falls from equipment, respiratory hazards and other programs to prevent unsafe conditions in mines.

MSHA will also place special emphasis on programs and materials that target miners at smaller mines, including training miners and employers about new MSHA standards, high-risk activities or hazards MSHA identifies.

Visit grants.gov to apply for the Brookwood-Sago grants. Applications must be received by May 27, 2021. MSHA will award grants on or before Sept. 30, 2021.

The Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response Act of 2006 established the Brookwood-Sago grant program in honor of the 25 miners who died at the Jim Walter Resources #5 mine in Brookwood, Alabama, in 2001 and at the Sago Mine in Buckhannon, West Virginia, in 2006.


McCraren Compliance offers many opportunities in safety training to help circumvent accidents. Please take a moment to visit our calendar of classes to see what we can do to help your safety measures from training to consulting.

Operation Safe Driver Week

First published by CVSA.

Greenbelt, Maryland (April 6, 2021) – This year’s Operation Safe Driver Week will take place July 11-17 with an emphasis on speeding. During Operation Safe Driver Week, law enforcement personnel will be on the lookout for commercial motor vehicle drivers and passenger vehicle drivers engaging in risky driving behaviors in or around a commercial motor vehicle. Identified unsafe drivers will be pulled over and issued a citation or warning.

“Data shows that traffic stops and interactions with law enforcement help reduce problematic driving behaviors,” said Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) President Sgt. John Samis with the Delaware State Police. “By making contact with drivers during Operation Safe Driver Week, law enforcement personnel aim to make our roadways safer by targeting high-risk driving behaviors.”

CVSA selected speeding as its focus this year because despite a drop in roadway travel last year due to the pandemic, nationally, traffic fatalities increased. According to the National Safety Council’s (NSC) preliminary estimates, the estimated rate of death on roads last year increased 24% over the previous 12-month period, despite miles driven dropping 13%. The increase in the rate of death is the highest estimated year-over-year jump NSC has calculated in 96 years.

In addition to speeding, law enforcement personnel will be tracking other dangerous driver behaviors throughout Operation Safe Driver Week, such as reckless or aggressive driving, distracted driving, following too closely, improper lane change, failure to obey traffic control devices, failure to use a seat belt, evidence of drunk or drugged driving, etc.

CVSA’s Operation Safe Driver Program was created to help to reduce the number of crashes involving commercial motor vehicles and passenger vehicles due to unsafe driving behaviors. Operation Safe Driver Week is sponsored by CVSA, in partnership with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and with support from the motor carrier industry and transportation safety organizations. This initiative aims to improve the behavior of all drivers operating in an unsafe manner – either in or around commercial motor vehicles – through educational and traffic enforcement strategies.

To find out about Operation Safe Driver Week enforcement events in your area, contact the agency or department responsible for overseeing commercial motor vehicle safety in your area.


McCraren Compliance can help you understand and comply with FMCSA, DOT and ADOT and ensure your drivers and your vehicles operate safely and efficiently.

Call us Today at 888-758-4757 or email us at info@mccrarencompliance.com to schedule your free FMCSA Compliance Assessment.

April Is Workplace Violence Awareness Month

First published by CDC.Workplace violence

Workplace violence is any type of violence or threat of violence against workers. It generally occurs in the workplace but can also happen away from it. Workplace violence can range from threats and verbal abuse to more serious events that lead to physical assaults, homicides, and mass casualty events, such as those that occurred recently at workplaces in Atlanta, Georgia, and Boulder, Colorado. Because April is Workplace Violence Awareness month, we would like to share resources on what we know based on research and also where research gaps still exist.

Workplace violence can occur anywhere and at any time, but certain groups of workers are at increased risk. These groups include those who exchange money with the public; transport passengers, goods, or services; work alone or in small groups late at night or early in the morning; and come into close contact as they treat and provide patient care. Examples include retail workers, nurses, taxi drivers, and others who commonly interact with customers, clients, or patients. However, workplace violence doesn’t have to involve workers and customers or clients. Threats and assaults can also come from other employees, supervisors or managers, a domestic partner, or a current or former spouse.

The risk of workplace violence has not decreased during the pandemic—in fact, many incidents have occurred in the past year. The pandemic has intensified feelings of stress and created uncertainty about the future for many, including employers, workers, customers, and clients. Workers were threatened and assaulted as businesses implemented new disease prevention policies and practices. In response, CDC has developed guidance for employers and employees in retail and service industries to address workplace violence during this time of uncertainty. Over the last year, there were other violence incidents, including ones affecting healthcare workers, public health professionals, and other frontline workers who experienced stigma, threats, and assaults. Some CDC guidance may be applicable to these groups of workers as well.

NIOSH researchers have studied this complex issue since workplace violence was identified as a public health concern in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Employers and employees in large and small businesses, as well as healthcare settings, can use these resources and trainings to help reduce workplace violence. While we have learned a lot about workplace violence prevention over the years, knowledge gaps still exist. And with that, NIOSH continues to prioritize the need for additional research to improve violence prevention for workers through non-pandemic and pandemic-relatedpdf icon research.


McCraren Compliance offers many opportunities in safety training to help circumvent accidents. Please take a moment to visit our calendar of classes to see what we can do to help your safety measures from training to consulting.